HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PLED-2014-01-15Minutes Approved at
April 9, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
City of Ithaca
Planning & Economic Development Committee
Wednesday, January 15, 2014 – 6:00 p.m.
Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 108 East Green Street
Minutes
Committee Members Attending: Joseph (Seph) Murtagh, Chair; Graham
Kerslick, Cynthia Brock, and Josephine Martell
Committee Members Absent: Alderperson Ellen McCollister
Other Elected Officials Attending: Mayor Svante Myrick (arrived at 6:12 p.m.);
Alderperson Smith, and Alderperson Fleming
Staff Attending: JoAnn Cornish, Director, Department of
Planning, Building, and Development; Jennifer
Kusznir, Economic Planner, Planning, Building,
and Development; Megan Wilson, Planner,
Department of Planning, Building, and
Development; Tom West, City Engineering
Office, and Debbie Grunder, Executive
Assistant, Department of Planning and
Development
Others Attending: None
Chair Seph Murtagh called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
1. Call to Order/Agenda Review
Tom West joined the group to discuss the mobile vending policy that is being
considered. This has already gone to the BPW. Proposed areas for such mobile
vending would be on streets in commercial sites and on streets near residential
parks for two vehicles.
Four vehicle sites will be at Cass and Stewart Parks through the week but not
during special events.
Fees are charged for any other parking. For residential areas, there is a 40%
discount. Vendors must be 200 ft from any restaurant. .
There is a $100 application fee required.
Minutes Approved at
April 9, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
Selection is done quarterly by lottery. Requirements include valid vehicle
registrations, workers compensation insurance or waiver, health department
requirements, and back ground checks for those near schools.
Public comment was held at the last two Board of Public Works (BPW) meetings.
The policy is currently being reviewed and revised.
Mayor Svante Myrick joined the meeting at 6:12 p.m.
Alderperson Brock asked whether mobile vending could also include other
vending types besides food vendors. West stated it is currently just food and
food items.
The next BPW is scheduled for January 27, 2014 for further discussion with a
possible vote in early February.
2. Public Comment and Response from Committee Members
Bill Demo, 121 Heights Court, (in the Cornell Heights area). He is in very much in
support of having the zoning changed, but not linking it with elimination of off-street
parking. The residents are concerned because there is already minimum parking in the
area. Any future development will only burden this area even further.
Ann Sullivan, 109 Irving Place, is thankful that Common Council decided to bring this
rezoning issue back from last month. She currently serves on the minimum parking
requirement committee. Those appointed to the City boards and committees often times
don’t do the work necessary to move things forward. She suggested to Mayor Myrick
that more diversity is needed when picking committee members.
Michael Decatur, 125 Heights Court, spoke in favor of rezoning in the Cornell Heights
area from RU to R3AA.
John Schroeder, 618 Stewart Avenue, spoke on the minimum parking requirement.
Allow the planning board to approve such parking changes on a case-by-case basis.
Multiple strategies could be used to eliminate cars on the street, but keep some parking
on the street. Rezoning RU to R3AA is a bad mistake. It should remain RU. He has
also done a thorough review of the Collegetown Plan, and has suggestions that he will
prepare and pass it along to Council, department heads and their staff.
Eric Pritz, 106 Brook Lane, spoke on the neighborhood he lives in. Changing the
physical nature of the streets will not benefit the neighborhood. Leave these
neighborhoods as they are.
Josh Lower, 307 College Avenue, is a fan of mobile vending on the streets. It brings life
to the streets.
Chair Murtagh read into record a letter from Tom Hanna and John Brookes regarding
Collegetown.
Minutes Approved at
April 9, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
3. Announcements, Updates and Reports
a) Public Hearing Announcement – 2014 CDBG (Community Development
Block Grant)
Chair Murtagh read into record the announcement of a public hearing to be
held March 20, 2014 with a registration date of February 28, 2014 to apply for
2014 CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funding.
4. Action Items – Voting to Send on to Council
a) RU Rezoning (Cornell Heights)
Jennifer Kusznir and Lynn Truame both spoke to the committee. This item was
first introduced to Council at last month’s Planning and Economic Development
Committee.
Lynn Truame provided a memo of the recommendation of the Ithaca Landmarks
Preservation Commission (ILPC) which met the previous night.
Alderperson Brock’s concern if you change the RU zone to an R3aa zone it will
allow large parcels be broken down into small properties going from a minimum
lot size of 10,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet, and increasing maximum lot
coverage from 30% to 35%. We will be allowing areas of historical significance
and changing the layout to have smaller densely-packed neighborhoods.
Lynn stated that the ILPC is empowered to protect historic neighborhoods’
character. RU has four-story height limits – R3aa has a three-story limit.
Alderperson Brock clarified that we are looking at rezoning two areas – one in
Cornell Heights and the other in the historic district.
Alderperson Martell asked whether this area is appropriate for increased density.
Alderperson Kerslick stated his concern with the closeness to the gorge.
Kusznir stated that it could be re-circulated for further comment if changes are
made to the existing zone.
R3 allows the lot size to be much smaller than the RU Zone.
Kerslick stated that in these zones, the City relies on the ILPC to approve any
change in lot sizes.
The RU zone allows large contiguous structures and a higher maximum height.
The rezoning to R3aa will reduce the maximum height and limit the footprint of
the structure to 120% of the average footprint of the existing building along the
block front.
Minutes Approved at
April 9, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
Mayor Myrick supports the R3aa zone and leaving anything north of the gorge to
the purview of the ILPC.
Chair Murtagh supports taking out the minimum parking requirements.
Alderperson Kerslick moved to remove the minimum parking requirements;
seconded by Alderperson Brock. Carried unanimously.
Lynn Truame stated the ILPC is fine with keeping the zone as RU if the 120%
footprint restriction, the three-story maximum, and 35 foot maximum building
height limitations are added to the RU zoning regulation.
Mayor Myrick stated that an R3aa change will benefit the historic district.
Alderperson Kerslick moved to change the historic district only (north of the
gorge) from RU to R3aa; seconded by Chair Murtagh. Carried 3-1, with
Alderperson Broking voting against.
The area south of the gorge will stay as is.
5. Action Items – Approval to Circulate
a) Collegetown Area Form Districts
Alderperson Brock requested a brief explanation as to what has happened up
to point. Planner Megan Wilson stated four different measures were on the
floor for consideration. All passed but the Form Districts portion which then
made all the other measures fail. Then a new design guidelines group was
set up which helped rewrite the plan.
Alderperson Brock further asked why there was a decision to abandon the
payment in lieu of parking option.
Alderperson Kerslick responded that the payment in lieu of parking was
repealed because it couldn’t stand alone – it was part of the College Town
Plan that was not approved.
The payment in lieu of parking was then focused on in the parking
requirements committees.
Alderperson Kerslick stated we can’t change anything in Collegetown without
changing the adjourning neighborhoods. The teeth will be in transportation
issues.
Alderperson Smith stated that the parking availability whether used or not, is
added into the rents that are charged to tenants.
Alderperson Brock stated that negotiations must be made with the new
developers. An example, as part of your development, we must negotiate the
parking requirement for said project.
Minutes Approved at
April 9, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
Alderperson Kerslick stated that in the past there haven’t been any
negotiations, which the parking requirements are being met with paving over
green space mostly for off-street parking.
Mike Niechwiadowicz, Director of Code Enforcement, stated that the
negotiations must start at the Planning Board during the project’s site plan
review process.
Alderperson Martell motioned to circulate; seconded by Alderperson Kerslick.
Carried Unanimously 4-0.
b) Elimination of Transition Regulations
Phyllis Radke, Director of Zoning Administration explained to the group transition
regulations. We are trying to get away from Section 325-19A.
JoAnn Cornish further stated where we see this in our City is in the residential
area on Elmira Road.
Alderperson Brock moved to circulate; seconded by Alderperson Kerslick.
Carried 4-0.
6. Discussion
a) Extension of Waterfront Zoning
This will follow up from last month’s meeting after it was circulated for comment.
Economic Planner Jennifer Kusznir stated staff is recommending a new WF-3
zoning district. After comments were received, it was apparent that the
definitions of Light Industrial Uses and Light Industrial District need to be
clarified.
At the end of the day, we want to allow light industrial use, but the City Code
doesn’t currently include light industrial uses.
Alderperson Martell stated that both definitions could be combined.
Alderperson Brock asked whether we should be concerned about the smoke,
fumes, etc. if residential use is allowed in an industrial zone, which will cause
conflict of expectations between industrial uses and residential uses.
Phyllis Radke stated a lot of those concerns fall under the prevue of the City
Building Code.
Other concerns as to truck traffic could be easily controlled by stating in the code
any limitations as to such traffic.
Chair Murtagh suggested we bring this back next month for further discussion
7. Review and Approval of Minutes
Minutes Approved at
April 9, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
a) October 2013– moved by Alderperson Kerslick; seconded by Alderperson
Murtagh. Carried unanimously 4-0.
b) December 2013 – these minutes were not reviewed.
8. Adjournment
Moved by Alderperson Martell; seconded by Chair Murtagh. The meeting was
adjourned at 8:30 p.m.